Microsoft is adding tabs to apps in Windows 10

Microsoft is taking it slow in order to properly gauge feedback

Microsoft on Tuesday shared details on a new feature that’ll (eventually) make its way to Windows 10. It’s called “Sets” and, according to Microsoft’s Terry Myerson, it’s designed to help organize your workflow and mitigate time lost to interruptions.

The new feature essentially brings tabs into apps. Say, for example, you are working on a report in Word but need to pull up a reference via Google search. Instead of having to open a separate web browser, Sets (not necessarily the feature’s final name) allows you to open a new tab within Word and track down whatever information you need.

Like a browser window, you can have several tabs opened. Best yet, it’s not just for web links as file windows can also be opened as tabs. And, it’s all saved as a single file so you can jump right back to where you were with all of your relevant information without having to reopen each source individually.

Combined with Timeline, this sounds like a real time-saving feature, especially for students or journalists.

Unlike some other Windows Insider features, Microsoft is going at it slow with Sets. In the coming weeks, the feature will be released to select Windows 10 Insiders as part of a controlled study that’ll allow Microsoft to more accurately assess what’s working and what’s not. This means that not everyone will get Sets right away (and some may have to wait a while for it). When it'll be ready for the final Windows 10 release is anyone's guess.

Sets will initially be limited to Universal Windows Apps. If successful, however, I suspect most third-party developers will take the time to bake the functionality into their own apps.

The next Windows Insider build going out to the Fast Ring 1 will have Timeline built in.